No one disputes the importance of fine sleep. It is important for mind, body and spirit. But ask which sleeping position is best, and you will discover a difference of opinion.
More than 60% of adults sleep on their side, making it probably the most common position, while back sleep is second in popularity, based on the Sleep Foundation, a corporation that gives science-based information, resources and expert guidance to enhance people’s sleep health. Meanwhile, the Sleep Foundation says, stomach sleeping poses various health risks and just isn’t beneficial for most individuals.
“I’ve interpreted thousands of sleep studies, and rarely do you see someone sleeping in the same position all night,” he says. “We all have 90-minute sleep cycles, and when we shift sleep stages, we often punctuate these shifts with changes in position.”
Symptoms that indicate various health conditions might be affected by the best way we sleep. Here, Dr. Winkelman analyzes the professionals and cons of two of the most well-liked sleeping positions.
Advantages and drawbacks of side sleeping
It helps you breathe easily. Sleeping on the side is taken into account one of the best position for respiration, which helps keep the airways open. This can reduce snoring and reduce sleep apnea, because the tongue and other soft tissues don’t rest behind the throat. (See “Unusual Symptoms of Sleep Deprivation.”)
It can prevent heartburn. Sleeping on the left side discourages acid reflux disorder, which occurs when stomach acid backs up into the esophagus and starts to deteriorate at night. This position makes it difficult for stomach acid to enter the sphincter into the airway.
It is an excellent option while pregnant. According to the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG), sleeping in your side (especially in your left side) promotes greater blood flow to the uterus and prevents swelling within the legs and ankles.
It can aggravate joint pain. When you lie in your side, the spine is misaligned, which may focus pain-causing pressure on the neck, back, or hips. And should you sleep on one arm, it might be numb whenever you get up. “People with orthopedic problems, especially in the shoulder, often can’t sleep on their affected side for long periods of time because it hurts,” says Dr. Winkelman.
Unusual symptoms of sleep deprivationSnoring loudly. panting Suffocating. Snoring is probably the most common symptom of sleep apnea, a condition estimated to affect 30 million Americans — based on the American Medical Association, only six million of whom have been formally diagnosed. Due to repeated disturbances in respiration during sleep, sleep apnea is linked to many serious health complications, including daytime fatigue, hypertension, heart problems, diabetes and early death.
What do all these symptoms have in common? They’re nonspecific, meaning they might be related to quite a lot of health problems — a few of them harmless, says Dr. Winkelman. Clearly, this creates a dilemma: How can someone with a number of of those symptoms tell if lack of sleep may be the actual perpetrator? Dr. Winkleman says the secret is to search for a mixture of symptoms. You must be suspicious if any of the above symptoms are accompanied by loud snoring or daytime sleepiness, recent onset or difficult to treat hypertension, or reports out of your bed partner that you just stop respiration at night. “It’s probably the most reliable strategy” to search out out if the less common symptoms of sleep apnea point to the disorder, he says. See your primary care doctor if any of those mixtures occur. She’ll likely recommend a house sleep test that involves wearing a tool that tracks respiration, oxygen levels, movement and other indicators whilst you sleep comfortably in your bed. Alternatively, she may recommend a lab sleep study. |
Advantages and drawbacks of back sleeping
It keeps the spine straight. Back sleepers may experience less neck, back and hip pain within the morning, because the position puts pressure on the spine and joints. You can enhance these effects by placing a small pillow under your back or knees, which further straightens the spine. “For most people, sleeping on your back will avoid any lateral force on the spine,” says Dr. Winkleman.
It can aggravate respiration problems. Sleeping in your back is taken into account one in every of the worst positions for individuals who snore or suffer from sleep apnea or other respiration challenges. “I tell people with obstructive sleep apnea to avoid sleeping on their back,” he says. “All the soft tissue in the back of the throat falls back like a cork. Gravity is not our friend here.”
Similarly, individuals with heart problems or lung problems – and even those that carry extra weight of their trunk – may experience shortness of breath in the event that they sleep on their back. “It makes it harder for them to expand the lungs,” says Dr. Winkelman. “It can feel a little like someone is sitting on your chest.”
It can worsen heartburn. Sleeping flat in your back could make it easier for stomach acid to back up into the esophagus. “Sleeping with your upper body slightly elevated is probably a great thing,” he says. “Thus, gravity helps you.”
Lying in your back while pregnant just isn’t beneficial. Especially because the uterus grows within the later months. ACOG advises against back sleeping within the second and third trimesters because the burden of the fetus can put pressure on the spine and major blood vessels. That said, should you get up in your back, don’t be concerned — you have probably woken up because it isn’t very comfortable to lie that way while pregnant. Take this as your cue to prepared the ground.
The bottom line
Still adamant that your chosen sleeping position is one of the best? Talk to your doctor if you have got any health conditions which will affect the best way you sleep. Ultimately, Dr. Winkelman says, there is no such thing as a “healthy” sleeping position.
“We probably have to individualize it,” he says. “I think your body tells you what’s best.”
Photo: © Milko/Getty Images